The Senior Bowl is a prestigious post-season college football all-star game held annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama. The first Senior Bowl took place in 1950 at Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, before moving to Mobile in 1951. Initially held at Ladd–Peebles Stadium until 2020, the game has been played at Hancock Whitney Stadium since 2021.
The Senior Bowl features two teams, traditionally named North and South, but since 2021, they have been renamed as American and National teams. The teams are coached by NFL coaching staff from teams that finished near the bottom of the league standings. The Senior Bowl serves as a critical platform for college players aiming for the NFL. It allows them to showcase their skills in front of NFL coaches, scouts, and executives. According to Senior Bowl's official website, the event attracts over 900 personnel from all 32 NFL teams and the players engage in a week of practice leading up to the game, providing further opportunities to impress potential NFL suitors. The 2025 Senior Bowl is scheduled for February 1, 2025, at 1:30 PM ET at Hancock Whitney Stadium. This year’s matchup will again feature the American and National teams. The game is produced by the non-profit Mobile Arts & Sports Association and has a charitable aspect, having donated over $7.8 million to local and regional organizations throughout its history. As of 2025, the event is sponsored by Reese's and televised by the NFL Network.
The list of Senior Bowl MVPs
The Senior Bowl MVP award is given to the standout player of the game, and many recipients have gone on to achieve significant success in the NFL. Over its long history, the Senior Bowl has recognized numerous talented athletes, including several who have become Pro Football Hall of Famers.
These are the players who have been named the MVP, as of the 2024 Senior Bowl,
Year | Name | Pos. | College team |
1950 | Travis Tidwell | QB | Auburn |
1951 | Bucky Curtis | WR | Vanderbilt |
1952 | Al Dorow | QB | Michigan State |
1953 | Harry Agganis | QB | Boston University |
1954 | Gene Filipski | RB | Villanova |
1955 | Bobby Freeman | QB | Auburn |
1956 | Don Goss | DL | SMU |
1957 | Don Bosseler | FB | Miami (FL) |
1958 | Jim Taylor | FB | LSU |
1959 | Theron SappNorm Odyniec | FBRB | GeorgiaNotre Dame |
1960 | Jacky Lee | QB | Cincinnati |
1961 | Dick Norman | QB | Stanford |
1962 | Earl GrosRonnie Bull | RBRB | LSUBaylor |
1963 | Glynn Griffing | QB | Ole Miss |
1964 | Ode Burrell | RB | Mississippi State |
1965 | Steve DeLong | DL | Tennessee |
1966 | Howard Twilley | WR | Tulsa |
1967 | Bubba Smith | DT | Michigan State |
1968 | Kim Hammond | QB | Florida State |
1969 | Jerry Levias | WR | SMU |
1970 | Terry Bradshaw | QB | Louisiana Tech |
1971 | J. D. Hill | WR | Arizona State |
1972 | Pat Sullivan | QB | Auburn |
1973 | Chuck Foreman | RB | Miami (FL) |
1974 | Bill Kollar | DL | Montana State |
1975 | Steve Bartkowski | QB | California |
1976 | Craig Penrose | QB | San Diego State |
1977 | Tommy Kramer | QB | Rice |
1978 | James Lofton | WR | Stanford |
1979 | Willie Jones | DL | Florida State |
1980 | Marc Wilson | QB | Brigham Young |
1981 | Neil Lomax | QB | Portland State |
1982 | John FourcadeSteve Clark | QBDL | Ole MissUtah |
1983 | Dan MarinoTerry Kinard | QBDB | PittsburghClemson |
1984 | Walter LewisDoug Smith | QBDL | AlabamaAuburn |
1985 | Paul Ott Carruth | RB | Alabama |
1986 | Napoleon McCallum | RB | Navy |
1987 | Don Smith | QB | Mississippi State |
1988 | Thurman Thomas | RB | Oklahoma State |
1989 | Cleveland Gary | RB | Miami (FL) |
1990 | Blair Thomas | RB | Penn State |
1991 | Alvin Harper | WR | Tennessee |
1992 | Tony Smith | RB | Southern Miss |
1993 | Eric Hunter | QB | Purdue |
1994 | Stan White | QB | Auburn |
1995 | Derrick Brooks | LB | Florida State |
1996 | Bobby Hoying | QB | Ohio State |
1997 | Pat Barnes | QB | California |
1998 | Dameyune Craig | QB | Auburn |
1999 | Cade McNown | QB | UCLA |
2000 | Chad Pennington | QB | Marshall |
2001 | LaDainian Tomlinson | RB | TCU |
2002 | Antwaan Randle El | WR | Indiana |
2003 | Larry Johnson | RB | Penn State |
2004 | Philip Rivers | QB | NC State |
2005 | Charlie Frye | QB | Akron |
2006 | Sinorice Moss | WR | Miami (FL) |
2007 | Tony Hunt | RB | Penn State |
2008 | Matt Forte | RB | Tulane |
2009 | Pat White | QB | West Virginia |
2010 | Brandon Graham | DL | Michigan |
2011 | Christian Ponder | QB | Florida State |
2012 | Isaiah Pead | RB | Cincinnati |
2013 | EJ Manuel | QB | Florida State |
2014 | Dee Ford | DL | Auburn |
2015 | Ameer Abdullah | RB | Nebraska |
2016 | Dak Prescott | QB | Mississippi State |
2017 | Davis Webb | QB | California |
2018 | Kyle Lauletta | QB | Richmond† |
2019 | Daniel Jones | QB | Duke |
2020 | Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon |
2021 | Kellen Mond | QB | Texas A&M |
2022 | Perrion Winfrey | DL | Oklahoma |
2023 | Jake Haener | QB | Fresno State |
2024 | Spencer Rattler | QB | South Carolina |
FAQ on Senior Bowl
A. Senior Bowl is held annually in Mobile, Alabama.
A. Senior Bowl is important as it allows NFL draft prospects to showcase their talent in from of NFL coaches and executives.
A. According to Senior Bowl's official website, Cleveland Browns Assistant Head Coach Bubba Ventrone will coach the American team. New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka will coach the National team.